Is RIOC Ado Annie?

Is RIOC Ado Annie, the governmental version of Rogers and Hammerstein’s libidinous teenager? For 70 years, Annie’s the “girl who can’t say, ‘No,'” and when it comes to residential complex managers and contractors, RIOC can’t either.

Roosevelt Island, Wheelchairs and Others Dodge Cars

Wheelchair diverted into Main Street, passing RIOC Contractor

Pedestrians in Main Street with no sidewalk available.

Yesterday at dusk, still walking in Main Street

Two weeks after work started, wheelchairs are still using the road.

In Oklahoma, gossips quip that the only time Ado Annie said, “No,” it was because she misunderstood the question. That must be it with RIOC.

On August 14th, RIOC told The Daily about a meeting with Manhattan Park’s management, a full week after wheelchairs, pedestrians, etc. were forced to walk unprotected in Main Street.

“PSD also informed the building manager that he must post appropriate signage,” RIOC wrote, “and allow for proper access that is ADA compliant and provides citizens with safe passage into the roadway where sidewalk access is impeded by work.”

“Appropriate signage,” then…

…and now.

Look at it from either direction, there is no change in signage. The existing, unchanged signs, inadequate as they are, actually point people away from the detour.

People continue to walk in the street. Wheelchairs navigate down Main Street along with cars and trucks.

You might wonder how a State agency lets a life-threatening situation like this persist. Is it a kind of blindness?

Yesterday, while I took up-to-date pictures, a marked PSD vehicle, driven by a uniformed officer, was unable to see this stop sign nearby:

Invisible Stop Sign

Drove straight through without so much as tapping his brakes. No emergency, just out for a cruise.

So, is RIOC Ado Annie or just missing in action?

How is this possible? Where is RIOC?

RIOC is absent, but a spokesperson is working hard to deflect our reporting.

This writer has a “personal axe to grind,” RIOC says, without evidence.

Also without explaining how that makes diverting wheelchairs into the street okay.

Further along, RIOC’s spokesperson accuses me of having a “hatred for RIOC,” which as far as I can tell doesn’t justify gross negligence.